No Analog Signal =/

Xaquin

So, my computer monitor keeps saying 'no analog signal' (or something to that effect making me have to restart it). anyone know what this means or what I can do to fix it?

The computer itself doesn't turn off. I haven't moved it in forever, so I know it isn't a cord problem. The graphics card is installed properly (same one I have for years now).

Any help would be appreciated

also:

Windows XP Home SP3 (all updates)
2gigs RAM
dual core Pentium 2.67ghz (or so)
Asus MOBO
ATI Radeon X1950 GT

Avast, Malwarebytes, and ad-aware are all current and have found nothing.

Essee

You said you haven't moved the computer in forever, it's always on, and it's got the same graphics card you've had for years. Have you turned it off to dust it out with compressed air or something in recent times? If this is something that happens to you randomly (did I read your post correctly?), it's possible that the video card (and/or the rest of your computer) is angry with you because it's overheating. That's the most likely thing I can think of that doesn't indicate that your card is actually damaged already. Beyond that, it looks like your video card has two DVI slots... did you already try swapping the monitor to the other slot in case the first one has randomly gone on the fritz? I've dealt with a (damaged) card before where during most startups, but not while it was running, I had to swap the cable between slots, waiting a bit between swaps, before it would decide it wanted to display from the final slot I tried. The same card is in a new motherboard (original one was damaged and that's how the card got damaged) and that problem is gone, but it now has an issue where one occasionally has to do a similar dance when switching from something in fullscreen back to Windows.

It's also possible that your monitor itself could be on the fritz, but lots of people either don't know their machines need to be dusted out, or just forget/put off doing it because they're busy. It probably couldn't hurt to try it anyway.

pacbowl

This just happened to me a few weeks ago. Out of the blue I would randomly stop getting video signal and would have to reboot. The computer itself wasn't locking up. Sometimes it would go for an hour, sometimes less than 5 min. Turns out the fan on my video card seized and it was overheating. That's what I would check. If not it could be the monitor.

Xaquin

thanks

I dust it off every so often, but it may have been a while

I'll give her a clean today

illig

PCs can go bad over time. Definitely try to clean it and reseat all the cables - but pay particular attention to the capacitors inside. If they're bulging or leaking, its time to replace the motherboard.